Any Girl in Enniscorthy
by angelofmusic1989
Summary: Hannah's mother is nicknamed Nettles Kelly for a reason. She sets her daughter up on a date with Jim Farrell, who is just starting to get over another love.
1. Chapter 1

"I can't believe you're going out with Jim Farrell," Nancy said, pulling garment bags from her closet.

"Not because I want to. My mother and I were invited to tea at his parents' house, because his mother and I are in the golf club together." Hannah sat on the bed. "I knew it was going to be some sort of set up, but you know I can never say no to a date when my mother is around."

"Right. Old Nettles Kelly can't be trifled with. And so Jim just asked you out?"

"No. He wasn't there. He was away on some sort of business trip, so our mothers arranged for us to go out once."

"Try this one," Nancy said, unzipping the bag around a lacy emerald dinner dress. "You've always looked good in green."

Hannah took the dress into the bathroom and started to change.

"I don't know what I'm going to say to him. He seems rather stern. Especially after...well..."

"Eilis."

"Yes. I hope she won't hate me."

"Darling, Eilis didn't marry Jim for the simple fact that she's already married. She's got no claim on him. Besides, I know him. And I think you two will get along rather well."

"You think?" Hannah stepped out of the bathroom.

"I do. Especially with you looking like that."

"Is it alright?" Hannah stepped in front of the mirror.

"It's brilliant! He'll fall for you, for sure."

"That's not why I'm going out with him, Nance!"

"I know. But there's no harm in attracting his attention. Now sit down. Let me do something with that hair."

Nancy pinned Hannah's wild brown curls into an acceptable updo, and put some make up on her. After a final spritz of perfume, Hannah was out the door and headed back to the apartment she shared with her mother above the shop. Hannah really had no idea what to say or what to do; she had never been asked on a date before. She still hadn't. She and Jim were being forced together by two strong willed mothers who were anxious to see their children married off. At least the Farrells were in it for Jim's best interest. Mrs. Farrell had explained that she didn't want Jim to be alone any more. But Mrs. Kelly was in it to make sure Hannah was taken off of her hands.

At seven thirty sharp, the bell rang for downstairs, and Mrs. Kelly buzzed the visitor up. Hannah was just putting her shoes on when he knocked at the door.

"I'll get it, Mother!" She yelled. But Mrs. Kelly was already answering. Hannah heard Jim greet her.

"Hello, Mrs. Kelly. I've come to take Hannah out, if that's alright."

"Of course it is. Come right in, Mr. Farrell. Hannah should be down any moment. Would you care for a cup of tea while you're waiting?"

"Tea would be lovely. Thank you."

"Have a seat."

Hannah crept into the hall. Jim Farrell was sitting on the sofa; she could only see his back. He had red-brown hair and very nice posture. She ventured further out and into the parlor.

"Hello," she said, with a bit of question.

"Oh, hello," Jim replied, getting to his feet nervously. He extended his hand toward her. "Jim Farrell."

"Hannah Kelly."

His hands were warm, and his nails were neatly trimmed and clean. He had a firm handshake.

"Your mother has just gone to get a pot of tea."

"Oh. Well, will you sit?"

"Thank you."

Jim sat back down on the sofa, and Hannah sat in the chair next to it.

"Oh no, dear." Mrs. Kelly came back with the tea just then. "You must sit next to our guest."

"I...alright." Hannah moved and sat on the opposite end of the sofa. She handed Jim his tea cup and took her own.

"So, Mr. Farrell, where are you off to this evening?"

"I'll be taking Hannah to the club for dinner, and then to a late movie, if it's alright." He turned to Hannah with the question.

"It's alright with me. If you aren't bored with me by then, that is."

"No, no," Mrs. Kelly laughed a little too enthusiastically. "Hannah would be thrilled. Wouldn't you, darling?"

Hannah caught the glimpse of threat in her mother's eye.

"Yes. Thank you."

The party sat in a few moments of awkward silence, and then Jim settled his tea cup back on the tray.

"We should be going, then."

"Of course." Mrs. Kelly followed the pair to the door. She caught Hannah's arm as they were leaving and asked Jim to wait downstairs. He looked at each of them and left.

"Mother, what are you doing?"

"Don't wear your coat."

"What? It's freezing out!"

"If you don't wear your coat, he'll see that you're cold, and then he'll offer you his. Then, you can forget to return it at the end of the night, and you'll have a reason to see him again."

"You don't think he'll want to see me again anyway, without subterfuge?"

"No," Mrs. Kelly answered bluntly. "Why would he?"

Hannah nodded, then reached for her coat. Mrs. Kelly dug her nails into her daughter's arm.

"Hannah, listen to me. This may be your only chance to get married. And I won't see you throw it away over a little cold. Now go."


	2. Chapter 2

At the club, Jim pulled Hannah's chair out for her. She sat and willed her body to stop shaking from the cold.

After a few overwhelming moments of looking over the menu, Jim offered to order for her. She gratefully accepted.

"What do you like?" He asked.

"Oh, anything." She felt her face go very hot. ' _Never let a man know you've got an appetite'._ She heard her mother's voice echo in her hear head. "I mean...I..."

"Mutton?" Jim read her discomfort and brought her back to the conversation at hand.

"Yes." Hannah smiled. "Thank you."

The mutton was delicious. Hannah tried to remember to take small bites and not to finish her plate. All the while, there was a pleasant conversation.

"My mother says that you're a teacher, when you aren't golfing."

"Yes. I teach Primary School."

"And how do you like it?"

"It's grand. I love the kids. But it doesn't leave much time for travel."

"Oh, do you like to travel?"

"I don't know. I've never been outside of County Wexford. But I like to read about far off places. I'd like to see the world."

"Me too."

"Really?"

"Yes. I haven't really been anywhere either. I took a trip to Spain recently. After...well, I just felt I needed to go. It was beautiful."

Hannah smiled politely. She knew the 'after' was supposed to be 'after Eilis Lacey broke my heart'. She decided to do her own diffusing.

"Where would you like to visit the most?"

"Oh, Egypt. To see the great pyramids. You?"

"Paris."

"Paris?"

"Yes. I want to see everything there. The Louvre, Versailles, the Eiffel Tower. I'd like to spend some time just taking everything in. I hear it's a...oh, I'm sorry! My thoughts have run away with me. No one ever asks me this sort of thing."

"Well, they should," Jim answered with a smile. "If only to see the way your eyes light up when you talk about it."

Hannah blushed and looked down at her plate for the rest of the meal.

After dinner, Jim asked if it was alright to skip the movie and go dancing instead. He wanted to talk to Hannah more. She agreed. They talked about their jobs and their families, about Hannah's golfing and Jim's recent move into his parents' house in town. And when they were done dancing, they walked.

"Are you cold?" Jim asked.

Hannah's mother's words were in the back of her mind. "No, I'm alright."

"You're shivering." Jim took off his coat and put it around her shoulders.

"Don't trouble yourself-" Hannah started. But she was quieted when the warm silk lining made contact with her skin.

After a few moments of walking in silence, with Jim's eyes on her, she spoke.

"My mother said I shouldn't wear a coat, so then you would offer me yours. It was her idea, I promise. I'm not a schemer or anything."

"I believe you. Why didn't she want you to-?"

"She wanted me to forget to give it to you, so I'd have an excuse to see you again. To give it back."

"Oh." Jim was quiet. Hannah felt tears threatening to spill, and she cursed herself for it. Jim took her hand.

"You don't need an excuse to see me. That is to say...I'd like to take you out again. If that's alright."

"You don't have to."

"I want to. I'll tell you what. When you're ready, you return that jacket to me. Alright? There's no pressure at all. Keep it forever, if you want."

Hannah beamed at him, and they continued walking. He drove her home, and as soon as she got into the front door, Hannah's mother was on her like a hawk.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"How did it go?"

"It was fine, Mother."

"Fine. What did you say? What did he say?"

"Nothing, really." Hannah wasn't ready to share. She wanted to keep Jim to herself for a night, at least.

"Oh. Nothing. I knew you would make a mess out of this. I set up a perfectly good match for you, and you can't even do your part."

"My part? Mother, he's not livestock you won at an auction. It's not a business deal for us to go out on a date."

"It most certainly is. Do you really think that man would have ever asked you out on his own? You? Don't make me laugh. He took you out because his mother asked him to. And if you think he did it out of anything but obedience and politeness, you really are stupid."

Hannah didn't answer. She went to her room and slammed the door, then threw herself on her bed. She inhaled the scent of Jim's jacket, which was indeed still around her shoulders.

Her mother was probably right. Hannah was kidding herself to think anything but a business deal could come out of Hannah's seeing Jim Farrell.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been six weeks since Hannah's date with Jim. And now she stood outside his pub, waiting for the courage to go inside and break everything off.

She took in a deep breath and opened the door. It was only four thirty in the afternoon and already men were sitting around smoking cigarettes and drinking pints. The bartender spoke to her.

"Can I help you, love?"

"I'm just...I'm just looking for Mr. Farrell."

"He's in the office. Up the stairs and to the left."

"Thank you."

Hannah made her way up, accompanied by stares and whispers. Her heart sped up. When she finally got to the oak door labeled 'office', she hesitated before knocking quietly.

"Not now, Brian. I'm in the middle of the ledger."

She thought about turning around, but she needed this to be finished with. She knocked again.

"I said, not now." He opened the door briskly. "Oh, Hannah."

"'I'm sorry to disturb you."

"Not at all. Come in."

He opened the door wider, but Hannah backed up.

"No thank you. I just came to return your jacket."

She thrust it at him, and he took it. He smiled at her, and she knew he thought she was coming to him for another date.

"When I said keep it forever, I was joking. I've been waiting for you to-"

"I had it dry cleaned. I'm sorry it took so long to get it back to you."

"Hannah, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I have to go." Hannah nodded and started away.

"Hannah, wait!" He rushed after her. She didn't stop, so he took her arm and turned her around. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. You didn't do anything. Please let me go."

"Hannah, please. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I really can't. I only came to return your jacket."

"Please. Please don't end it here."

Hannah looked into Jim's eyes. He was pleading with her to say yes. She conceded, knowing she was doing exactly what her mother wanted her to do.

"Alright. When?"

"Tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at seven."

"Alright. Thank you."

Jim offered his elbow and walked her home. They made small talk the whole way. And when Hannah went inside, her mother was standing by the window.

"Well, it would appear that you didn't ruin everything after all."

"It would appear not."

"Is he taking you out again?"

Hannah thought for a moment. She didn't want her mother wrapped up in her business any more.

"He can't this week. Well, neither of us can. I'll be working late to grade exams. Especially tomorrow."

"Oh. Well, let me know when he asks you again. I won't have you ruining our chances."


	4. Chapter 4

Jim and Hannah saw each other privately for two weeks. Hannah would bring her date clothes to school, then change after classes and meet Jim at the pub. After the third time she said she'd meet him there, he spoke up.

"Hannah, I don't want you to meet me at the pub. I want to pick you up at your door. It's the gentlemanly thing to do." Jim smiled. Hannah was starting to grow very attached to the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled.

"Oh...well, it's only that it's more convenient to meet you than-"

"It isn't. I know it isn't. The pub isn't on your way anywhere." He stopped walking her down the street and turned her so they were facing each other fully. "Do you not want me to come to your house?"

"No."

"Oh." Jim's eyes cast to the ground, but Hannah put her hand to his cheek and pulled his gaze back up to hers.

"It isn't you. It's...it's my mother. She doesn't know that you and I are still seeing each other."

"You're a grown woman, Hannah. Don't tell me you're not allowed to date me."

"No. No, quite the opposite, really. I...my mother is a bit conniving. And she seems to be trying to make some sort of deal with your mother for the two of us to..."

Hannah stopped short. Her cheeks flooded with pink. Jim kept his kind green eyes trained on her, waiting for her to finish.

"She wants me to be sure that you marry me. To take me off her hands. The great burden of her life. So she asked your mother to tell you to take me on a date."

"That can't be right. First of all, my mother pointed you out to me but I'm the one who decided to ask you to dinner. If it was an obligation, I wouldn't have asked you on a second date. Or a third. Or a fourth, if you'll let me when we get to your place."

Hannah smiled at that, and Jim took her hands.

"Second, I don't see how you could be the burden of anyone's life, Hannah Kelly. You're smart and beautiful and funny. I..."

Jim leaned in for a kiss. Hannah tensed,but when his lips touched hers, she melted. After a moment, she pulled away for the sake of propriety; kissing on the street would surely get back to Mrs. Kelly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that without asking. It just seemed like the right thing to do."

Hannah smiled and took Jim's arm again.

"It was."

"Why don't you want your mother to know that we're going out together? Seems to me like that's what she wants."

"That's exactly it. I didn't tell her because I didn't want her to spoil anything. I like you, Jim. And I wanted to keep you for myself for awhile."

Him smiled again, and gave Hannah another quick peck on the lips.

"Well, you've got me. Except for one thing."

Hannah winced.

"What?"

"My birthday is next week. And my mother wants to have you up to the country house for dinner."

"Oh?"

"You don't have to come. I just thought-"

"Of course I'll go. Thank her for inviting me."


	5. Chapter 5

Jim picked Hannah up at the school to take her to his parents' house for the weekend.

"What did you tell your mother?"

"I said I'm staying with Marjorie O'Brien. She's sick and needs someone to stay with her. Marjorie will tell her I'm there if she phones." Hannah accepted Jim's hand into the car. "I didn't even feel this much like a fourteen year old when I was a fourteen year old."

"My mother is very excited to see you. She's anxious to show you every photograph she has of me. And my father wants to test you on your golf game."

"Oh. Well, it sounds like I've got a lot to do this weekend."

"You do. But don't worry. I have something up my sleeve."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Wait and see."

The drive was beautiful; the countryside was lush green and flooded with sunshine, even though it was chilly outside. Jim gave his jacket to her.

"I want that back at the end of the drive." He smiled. Hannah laughed and took his offered hand.

When they got to the Farrells', Jim's parents were waiting on the porch. They came down the steps as Jim helped Hannah out of the car.

"Hello, dears. How was the drive?"

"Very nice. Thank you for having me this weekend, Mrs. Farrell."

"Oh, of course, dear. Jim talks about you so much, we just had to have you out for his birthday. I'm sorry it's so chilly, though. I thought we'd have better weather."

"It's alright. I have a feeling it will warm up later in the day. Mr. Farrell."

"Hannah. Pleasure to have you here."

"Come on in out of the chill, dears. I've got tea ready."

Jim picked up the bags, and then he and Hannah followed the Farrells into the house. Mrs. Farrell sat them down in the parlor and poured their tea. She sat next to Hannah and opened a photo album.

"This was taken two days after Jim was born," she said, pointing to a young couple holding an infant in front of a Dublin hospital. She pointed to the woman. "I was a lot slimmer then. Even after giving birth to a ten and a half pound baby."

Mrs. Farrell gave Jim a faux look of pain and he smiled sheepishly.

"I don't think Hannah wants to see all of your albums, Mother."

"Of course she does! Don't you, Hannah?"

Hannah smiled.

"It's alright, Jim. I'm enjoying it."

"See there. Now why don't you go with your father and fix something that wasn't broken in the first place?"

The Farrell men grumbled identically and left the room. Mrs. Farrell patted Hannah's hand and turned to a new page in the album.

"You and Jim have been seeing a lot of one another, hm?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. You are so sweet, and he just gushes about you over the phone, you know."

Hannah's heart skipped. She felt herself blushing. She turned another page to take focus from herself.

"Does he?"

"Yes. He likes you a lot. Maybe even...well, I'll leave that up to him. He just...he takes things very quickly. With Cathleen, you know, they went from friends to engaged inside of a year. He didn't think she was serious about him. And he was probably right. And then..."

A heavy silence hit them both. Hannah broke it; it was the only thing that would make the situation resolve.

"And then Eilis."

Mrs. Farrell nodded.

"He loved her. Or, he thought he did. He wanted to ask her to marry him, but then one day she disappeared and went back to America. She put a note under his door, telling him about her husband. I...I just can't see my boy hurt again."

Hannah put her hand on Mrs. Farrell's.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he doesn't get hurt."

"Thank you. Now," the older woman said, sniffling a little. "Let me show you the guest room."


	6. Chapter 6

After Hannah settled into her room, she went down the stairs, and was stopped on the landing by voices coming from the parlor. She sat down and listened to Jim talking to his parents.

"Well, what does her mother think?"

"Her mother doesn't know that I've been taking her out."

"She's a grown woman, isn't she?"

"Yes, Dad. But you've met Mrs. Kelly. You've seen the way she behaves towards Hannah in public. The way she talks about her."

Hannah heard the sternness in Jim's voice. She heard him pour himself a drink.

"Well, alright then. If old Nettles Kelly isn't an obstacle, and you're sure you're in love with this girl, then..."

"I am. The other two...I thought I was in love with them. I thought that each of them, in her time, was the person I was supposed to spend my life with. But now I know...I ache for Hannah. I loved them. But I need her."

Hannah staunched her tears with the hem of her dress. She pulled her feet up closer to herself.

"Here, darling," Mrs. Farrell said. "Here it is. I've been keeping it in my sock drawer, safe. And I'm so glad that you're finally going to give it away."

"I am. Tonight. I'm going to ask her for a walk on the beach, and then when we get to the pier...that's where I'll ask."

Hannah's heart beat fast in her chest. She stood and made a sound so they would know she was coming down the stairs.

"Ah, here she is. I think supper is ready, if we're all hungry. Hannah?"

"Oh, yes ma'am. Thank you."

Jim put his arm around Hannah's shoulders and led her to the dining room. The couples sat opposite one another. Supper was delicious; roast chicken and potatoes and green beans. Simple. Jim held onto Hannah's hand under the table while they ate.

"Hannah? I wondered if you would want to go for a walk after we eat?"

Hannah pretended not to hear. Jim cleared his throat.

"Hannah?"

No avoiding it now.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry, Jim. Yes, that sounds lovely."

Good. You may want to bring a jacket. It's getting a little chilly out, and I'd like to wear mine."

He smiled at her. His bright green eyes almost disappeared, and his brows relaxed. Hannah nodded, and he kissed her cheek.

After dinner, Hannah made the excuse that she needed to go up to her room for her jacket. She packed up all the things that she had unpacked just a couple of hours ago, then quietly called a cab from the phone on her nightstand. She had told Jim to wait for her on the back porch and she would meet him there. The Farrells had gone to bed. When her cab arrived, she crept out the front door and slid into the back seat.

"Where are you going, love?"

"Enniscorthy, please."

"That's a fair way. I hope you've got the money for it."

"I'll have it when we get there. Please, just drive."

The cab started to roll, and Hannah watched out the back window. Jim came around the house from the back, seeing who had arrived. He stood straight with his hands in his pockets and his eyes full of hurt when he saw that she was leaving. His beautiful, bright eyes pleaded with her to stop. But she couldn't. Now he knew that she knew what he intended.

"Coward," she said to herself, before she started to weep.


End file.
